Does anyone have swinging perches? I'm obsessed w/ the Norfolk Botanical Gardens eaglets (who had to be removed from their wild nest when their mom was killed by an airplane and who are now living at the Wildlife Center of VA preparing to be released in August), and they have swinging perches to simulate moving tree branches. I wondered if my girls would appreciate such a thing.

I would not even think about a moving roost. Chickens are not gracefull and I feel you are asking for injuries. Comparing the needs of a eagle that is being rereleased into the wild to that of a chicken who is a domestic is unwise and irresponsible

I am sure I wouldn't have it if it did 'swing' a lot. I don't see it as being irresponsible but everyone is entitled to their opinion. Its only three feet off of the ground and doesn't move very much when they jump up or down. Even when the wind blows hard it doesn't really move. The tree trunk is heavy enough to keep it centered. Mainly I just liked the looks and the chickens seem to like the feel of it.

LOL -- my hen Clarice was a stray who lived for 5 mos free on my farm until we finally were able to catch her. She roosted up in trees at night (quite high!) and did just great. My hens jump down from their 7 foot roosts in their henhouse every a.m. w/out hurting themselves. I think they're a lot more competant than you seem to, and a perch a few feet off the ground is child's play to them.

The person above uses a swinging perch w/out injury and so have others--I did a search on the forum and there are many examples.

Anyway, I'm not worried about injury, given all the above. I'm just wondering if they will USE it, and it seems to be likely that they will, so it's worth doing.

The main thing to remember is that chickens don't "curl" their feet to grip a perch very well. That's why "roost" is really what they do. I use a 2" x 4" piece of lumber, widest sides up/down. They prefer to sit on it, and in cold climates they hunker down to keep their feet warm. I do keep some large diameter branches in the run, they have great fun on them during the day. At night they roost on the 2" x 4" roost in the coop.

Chickens do enjoy a big branch like Husker has, more for play, though. Mine like having things to play on. I even gave them sawhorses, they like them a lot, as well as the branches.